When fruits and vegetables are attached to a plant, they can sit out in the hot sun and not rot. But?

separated from the plant, they deteriorate quickly. Why is this?

When fruits and vegetables are attached to a plant, they can sit out in the hot sun and not rot. But?
they are no longer being `fed` and watered ,


they are dying.
Reply:i beleive its because the fruit no longer receives minerals from the plant and when the cells die they can no longer be replaced. its summin like that im only 15 so its probably inacurate
Reply:Because they die
Reply:If fruit and vegetables are stored properly thay can be kept for weeks or months. My dad is still eating sun dried chilies that I grew last century.





Fruit on the ground is subject to attack by all kinds of ground living critters which won't climb the plant. They will break the skin and bore holes inside, introducing bacteria and fungus in the progess.





If you try growing fruit yourself you will discover that it rots on the plant easily enough. Wasp grubs and caterpillars from moths, do for the majority of my apples and chilies every year.





Tough fruit like coconut, travels the oceans without rotting, so you can't really generalise.